Esther was given a position, God set up her life
that she would one day be elevated to the position of Queen
The previous Queen, Vashti, had shamed King Ahasuerus
in front of many princes and nobles
The King searched far and wide for the perfect Queen,
one who would honor him and treat him with respect
A great search went on in the Kingdom for a new Queen
Esther was found worthy for many reasons
Her uncle Mordecai was a God-fearing man, filled with Godly wisdom
Mordecai guided Esther to be a woman of substance
and to value God’s wisdom as he himself did
Mordecai had an enemy, Haman who was not just the enemy of Mordecai, but of an enemy of God, and God’s people, the Jews
Haman did not serve God
Haman was very angry when Mordecai would not bow to him
Haman did have the most prestigious position in the Kingdom,
next to the King
Haman wanted everyone to bow to him
As is the case with prideful souls,
they do not like it when someone does not pay them respect
Mordecai served God, not Haman
And all the king’s servants, that were in the king’s gate, bowed,
and reverenced Haman: for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence. Esther 3:2
The King’s servants warned Mordecai that he should bow to Haman
as the King had commanded and Mordecai still refused
The servants told Haman that Mordecai was a Jew
And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence,
then was Haman full of wrath.
And he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone;
for they had shewed him the people of Mordecai:
wherefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews
that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus,
even the people of Mordecai. Esther 3:5-6
And so Haman rose up against the Jews
and he used his position to plot their destruction
King Ahasuerus allowed this to happen as he trusted what Haman said
And the letters were sent by posts into all the king’s provinces,
to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old,
little children and women, in one day,
even upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month,
which is the month Adar, and to take the spoil of them for a prey. Esther 3:13
Mordecai was distraught that the Jews were set to be destroyed
When Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes,
and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city,
and cried with a loud and a bitter cry;
So Esther’s maids and her chamberlains came and told it her.
Then was the queen exceedingly grieved;
and she sent raiment to clothe Mordecai,
and to take away his sackcloth from him: but he received it not. Esther 4:1 & 4
Mordecai was very troubled
Esther sent a messenger to find out
what was causing Mordecai to be distressed
Also he gave him the copy of the writing of the decree
that was given at Shushan to destroy them, to shew it unto Esther,
and to declare it unto her,
and to charge her that she should go in unto the king,
to make supplication unto him,
and to make request before him for her people. Esther 4:8
Esther was afraid because of the King’s Commandment:
All the king’s servants, and the people of the king’s provinces, do know,
that whosoever, whether man or woman,
shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called,
there is one law of his to put him to death,
except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre,
that he may live:
but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days.
Esther 4:11
Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther,
Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king’s house,
more than all the Jews.
For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time,
then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise
to the Jews from another place;
but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed:
and who knoweth
whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this? Esther 4:13-14
Queen Esther called for her people to fast
and boldly went before the King
She was given wisdom by God on how to expose Haman
The Kings heart was softened toward Esther and her people, the Jews,
and the very gallows that wicked Haman built for Mordecai
became the very gallows Haman himself died on
Thus did God turn the tables so the Jews were saved
and those who rose against them were destroyed instead